New DTH rules: TRAI says TV subscribers should create a basic pack before January 31 to avoid disruption

New DTH rules: TRAI says TV subscribers should create a basic pack before January 31 to avoid disruption

Since the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) made it public, the new DTH regulations have created quite a stir amid Indian TV viewers. The move aims to make TV subscriptions more affordable.

The new regulations applies from February 1 and mandates cable TV operators and DTH service providers to publish the tariffs for each channel called ala-carte as well as a combination of channels for a fixed price called bouquets. The subscribers are free to choose from bouquets and ala-carte channel options.
While TRAI mandates that all DTH service providers must offer a base pack, the TV subscribers have also been asked to create their base pack before January 31 to avoid disruption of service. The chosen channels will be available to you from 1st February, 2019.

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What is base pack? In plain words, it is the mandatory purchase that every TV subscriber has to buy in order to view TV. In order to view TV, a subscriber must choose at least 100 channels in the base pack. As per the TRAI new rule, the price of the base pack should not exceed Rs 130. TRAI says that base back is not only what the DTH service providers offer. It can also be created by the consumers. A subscriber will have option to make their own pack of 100 SD channels. It can include free channels as well as paid ones. The maximum price of this pack will not be more than Rs 130 plus taxes. Here is what TRAI says:

“Consumer has complete freedom to choose their desired 100 Standard Definition (SD) channels within the network capacity fee of maximum Rs 130. The desired channels could be in a-la-carte free to air channels or pay channels or bouquet of pay channels or any combination thereof. The choice completely rests with the consumers.”

TRAI also gives you the flexibility to add extra channels over the base pack. You can opt for additional channels on a-la-carte basis by paying for a slot.
Each slot can contain up to 25 channels and will cost as much as the sum of the individual prices of each channel chosen separately along with the taxes.